Businessman Kenneth Cobonpue (left) takes his oath of office before Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto (2nd from left following his appointment by President Rodrigo Duterte as the new RDC-7 co-chairman). The ceremony was witnessed by government officials and business leaders including Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III; Melani Ng, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI) president and NEDA-7 director Efren Carreon during the RDC-7 full council meeting at Motebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
EXPECT a more “casual” Regional Development Council (RDC) in Central Visayas.
As newly-appointed chairperson, internationally renowned furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue, took his post on Friday, Cobonpue said he wanted to do things more “casually” in his first ever government position.
What was supposed to be a full council meeting expected to last until 4 p.m. yesterday, wrapped up four hours earlier at around 12 noon.
“The results are the things that really matter. That’s what we all want. I think the real work is really after the meetings,” Cobonpue told reporters after the meeting which lasted only two hours.
“I wanted to bring a bit of my experience in business to also make things as fast and as quick as possible and go straight to the point. Because I think that’s what we all need in a time like this,” he said.
It was Cobonpue’s first time to preside over an RDC full council meeting after his appointment last February 28.
The meeting was held at the Montebello Villa Hotel where RDC members welcomed Cobonpue and embraced the slight changes which he began to implement in the council including quick and direct to the point discussions during meetings.
Admitting to feeling a bit uneasy at first because of all the personalities and politicians around in the RDC, Cobonpue asked RDC members for their resolve and commitment.
The businessman was sworn in by former RDC-7 chairperson and Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto.
Upon his appointment by President Rodrigo Duterte, Cobonpue said that he received no specific instruction from Duterte except that the President wanted to know the region’s priority projects to make sure these are included in the national budget for next year.
RDC-7 has endorsed to the national government P145.6 billion worth of programs, activities and projects (PAPs) for the year 2018.
Seventy percent or P103.2 billion of the budget will go to infrastructure development through regional line agencies.
The social development sector endorsed P37.4 billion worth of projects while the economic sector and the development administration sector endorsed P4.6 billion and P289 million worth of PAPs, respectively.
The projects and programs had been discussed in previous administrations but had yet to be implemented.
“He (Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino) assured me that this time, it will be different because our concerns will be brought directly to the President. I hope this will bring renewed hope that the change we expect and deserve is coming,” said Cobonpue, adding that the challenge remains in the approval and implementation of the projects endorsed by the RDC.